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Lohse tunes up as Brewers take leave of Arizona

Starter allows two runs in five innings; Braun contributes RBI double

3/27/14: Kyle Lohse pitches five innings in his final Spring Training start, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out four

By Adam McCalvy
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MLB.com |

PHOENIX -- Jason Bourgeois homered and drove in a pair of runs Thursday to help beat his former team, as a Reds split squad topped the Brewers, 8-2, in the spring finale at Maryvale Baseball Park.

Bourgeois, who played for the Brewers in 2009, knocked an RBI single off Kyle Lohse in the third inning and hit a solo home run off Lohse in the fifth before the Reds pulled away against Milwaukee Minor Leaguers. Juan Duran took Bourgeois' spot in the batting order and smacked a two-run homer in the seventh.

After the game, both teams boarded eastbound flights. The Brewers host the Royals in a pair of exhibitions at Miller Park on Friday and Saturday, while the Reds play their Double-A affiliate in Pensacola, Fla., on Friday and their Triple-A affiliate in Louisville on Saturday.

"It always feels good to get out of Spring Training, even though we've got a couple more exhibition games," Lohse said. "What's really cool is for the guys who made Opening Day for the first time. You see how excited they are, and that's the cool part."

Ryan Braun delivered an RBI double in the first inning against Reds right-hander J.J. Hoover, but Brewers bats were otherwise silent until Hunter Morris homered in the eighth.

Lohse was charged with two runs on five hits in five innings. His next start will be against the Braves at Miller Park in the second game of the regular season.

At the plate, Lohse had an opportunity to snap a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fourth inning, when he batted with the bases loaded and one out. He hit a comebacker to Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen, who initiated a 1-2-3 double play.

Up next: The Brewers have not played a single night game this spring, but that will change Friday, when they host the Royals at Miller Park (7:10 CT, live on Gameday Audio) for the first of two exhibition games. Milwaukee's biggest offseason acquisition, Matt Garza, will make his unofficial home debut, looking to build on a strong start against the Reds in his last outing. It will be his final tuneup before his regular season Brewers debut against the Braves on Wednesday at Miller Park.

Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Brew Beat, and follow him on Twitter at @AdamMcCalvy. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.